Various systems exist for maintaining a safe home environment especially for the elderly and disabled. The systems are typically designed to allow for independent living while reducing the chances for injury.
Lighting systems is one mechanism for improving safety within the home. The lighting systems provide illumination so as to ensure safe mobility. For example, standard night lights may be plugged into wall outlets to provide a suitable illumination at night. These lights are placed in power outlets or receptacles on walls and are kept switched on throughout the night. Another example is motion-sensor lights which are activated upon detection of motion and are turned off when the motion ceases for a preset amount of time. Still another example is infrared and pressure sensor triggered lights. Infrared triggered lights are turned on when an infrared beam is tripped and turned off after a preset amount of time. Pressure sensor triggered lights are turned on and off based on a pressure applied to a pressure sensor, such as a pressure mat on which someone may walk on to trigger the light to turn on and off.
Motion sensors and wearable devices is another a mechanism for improving safety within the home. The motion sensors can be placed in certain locations within the home to detect presence of a person and also detect certain types of movement. Similarly, the wearable devices, worn by a person, can monitor a person's location and type of movement. The person being at certain locations of the home, such as in the bathroom, and/or performing certain types of movements, such as walking may be considered normal, but being in other locations and/or performing other types of movements may be considered abnormal. For example, the motion sensors and wearable devices can detect if the person is in the street of his or her home, the person is immobile, or the person has fallen and cannot get up. In this situation, the person may be injured or need help. In this case, an alert signal could be sent so that a caregiver or other interested person can check up on the condition of the person.
Such systems allow for the elderly and disabled to lead safe, independent, and normal lives.